Other

Research Corporation Technologies, Inc.

Roche Diagnostic Systems, Inc.

Université De Lausanne

Jean-Pierre Mach

Andre Pelegrin

Reginald Gorczynski

Christian Alexander

Ulrich Zahringer

Wolfgang Bessler

Alexey Terskikh

Franz Buchegger

Antonio Verdini

Artur J Ulmer

Ulrich Vor Dem Esche

Petra Hofmann

Alfred Hartman

Silke Muller

Thierry Walli

Alexander Westphal, Legal Representative

Josette Westphal, Legal Representative

Otto Westphal

Omar Fattah

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition representing a novel immunomodulating principle comprising bacterial endotoxin, fetal hemoglobin or more particularly a heme-free derivative or the &#x3b3;-chain thereof, and optionally, components which are present in the fetal liver in addition to HbF. The composition is delivered to humans in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or diluent. In accordance with the present invention it was surprisingly found that endotoxin and fetal hemoglobin partial structures display a pronounced synergistic biomedical activity. The biomedical effect of fetal hemoglobin and its partial structures is surprisingly not based on a classical hemoglobin function as an oxygen transporter but related to a modulation of endotoxin-mediated bioactivity. This biomedical activity is surprisingly also observed after oral application of the composition. The composition of the invention finds a variety of applications which have in common the stimulation of the immune system and the reversion in polarization of cytokines and chemokines from a Th2-directed response to a Th1-type response. The proposed applications would therefore include the treatment of allergic conditions, malignancies, chronic infections, autoimmune phenomena and age-related imbalances.

Compositions comprising fetal hemoglobin and bacterial endotoxin and optionally additional fetal liver components

The present invention provides recombinant CEA glycoproteins and methods for their production. These recombinant CEA glycoproteins s lack the C-terminal 26 amino acids which are present in natural CEA and are characterized in that they are free from cross-reactive CEA-like antigens, antigenically indistingiushable from the soluble form of CEA shed from tumor cells, and devoid of the ethanolamine which is present at the C-terminus of natural CEA, and also devoid of the additional amino acids which may be attached to the natural CEA through said ethanolamine. Said recombinant CEA glycoproteins s preferably have the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 1. The CEA glycoproteins s of the invention may be used as reagents in an immunoassay for the diagnosis of neoplastic diseases. The invention also relates to a DNA encoding said recombinant CEA glycoprotein, such as the DNA having the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 2 or a functional equivalent sequence thereof. The present invention also relates to recombinant vectors comprising said DNA, which recombinant vector is capable of directing the expression of said DNA in a compatible host cell, and to transformed host cells containing such a recombinant vector. The recombinant CEA glycoprotein of the present invention, preferably integrated in a test-kit, may be used for determining the presence of tumor cells in a sample of body fluid.

Carcino-embryonic antigen derivatives lacking the carboxyl terminal end

The invention concerns novel monoclonal antibodies with high specificity to and affinity for human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), derivatives thereof, processes for the preparation of these antibodies and their derivatives, hybridoma cell lines secreting the antibodies, and processes for the preparation of said cell lines. The monoclonal antibodies of the invention and their derivatives are useful in the diagnosis and therapy of cancer and serial monitoring of cancer patients for recurrent disease or response to therapy. Test kits and pharmaceutical compositions containing said monoclonal anti-CEA antibodies are also subject of the invention.

Monoclonal antibodies with specificity affinity for human

Growing community of inventors

Lausanne, Switzerland

Jean-Pierre Mach